Committee
Public Petitions Committee 09 February 2016
09 Feb 2016 · S4 · Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
Continued Petitions
St Margaret of Scotland Hospice (PE1105)
I am in the same position as Angus MacDonald. However, I have seen the petition almost all the way through the process and there is a point at which we must say, as a committee, that we need to stop because we cannot progress it any further. We must also bear in mind the fact that the Scottish Government has committed to doing things with the hospice and the health board. I am not asking for the petition to remain open; I am asking that, in closing the petition, we remind the petitioner that they are at liberty to lodge a new petition within the specified period and that we write to the Scottish Government, advising it that we have closed the petition but reminding it that there are certain things that it committed to undertake in conjunction with the health board and the hospice. We should state that we hope that the board that has been established by the Government recognises the issues that have been raised by St Margaret of Scotland Hospice in relation to the allocation of resources to hospices in Scotland. As you said, convener, a number of hospices might find themselves in a similar situation. I would support closing the petition if we were to ask the Government to take on board those other issues and seek assurances.
In the same item of business
The Convener
Lab
The next item of business is consideration of 15 continued petitions, the first of which is PE1105, by Marjorie McCance, on St Margaret of Scotland Hospice. ...
Gil Paterson (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)
SNP
I will highlight some points. Thank you very much for the opportunity to come here again. The accountancy review must be undertaken sooner rather than later...
The Convener
Lab
Thank you, Gil. The committee is under no pressure to close a petition because we are coming to the end of a parliamentary session. Petitions can be carried ...
Gil Paterson
SNP
I think that keeping the petition open has brought us to where we are. I fear that, if it had been closed when the Government recommended that it should be, ...
The Convener
Lab
I appreciate that that is your consideration. It has just been brought to my attention that the suggestion of seeking an independent arbiter or chair to draw...
Angus MacDonald
SNP
I certainly see the merit in Gil Paterson’s request to continue to monitor the situation prior to closing the petition, with a view to keeping a watching bri...
Jackson Carlaw
Con
I pay tribute to Gil Paterson and the previous constituency member, Des McNulty, both of whom have pursued the issue and led on the petition—with the support...
The Convener
Lab
That is exactly my point. I should probably declare an interest in that I am the convener of the cross-party group on palliative care and want to see the adv...
Angus MacDonald
SNP
I bring the committee’s attention to the final sentence of Shona Robison’s letter of 19 January: “I hope to be in a position to update the Public Petitions ...
The Convener
Lab
The information that I have is that the action points on which the petition was raised have been progressed. Therefore, any response to a query from us would...
Angus MacDonald
SNP
I see that, convener, but—
The Convener
Lab
We have closed other petitions on similar grounds. I am trying to be fair to every petitioner, not just to one. Other people out there would say that the com...
Hanzala Malik
Lab
With all respect, we have done a lot. We have gone out of our way with this petition. I recall supporting it on at least two occasions when I thought that it...
The Convener
Lab
Do other members have a view? Other than Angus MacDonald, who suggests that we continue the petition, everyone else believes that the petition has come to th...
Angus MacDonald
SNP
I sense that I am in the minority. Reluctantly, I agree to close the petition.
John Wilson
Ind
I am in the same position as Angus MacDonald. However, I have seen the petition almost all the way through the process and there is a point at which we must ...
The Convener
Lab
We have closed petitions on those terms before.
Jackson Carlaw
Con
Given the sentence in the cabinet secretary’s letter to which Angus MacDonald has referred, we might close the petition but ask the cabinet secretary whether...
The Convener
Lab
I see members nodding. We appear to have reached an agreement. I offer Gil Paterson my personal thanks for the effort that he has put into supporting the pe...
Gil Paterson
SNP
I am disappointed, convener. You knew that I would be disappointed. Nevertheless, it would be remiss of me to go away from here without thanking John Wilson,...